March 2012
23 posts
2 tags
Eye-Openers
this week’s roundup of delightful discoveries
Lauren, one of our graphic designers:
“Pantone debuts their first makeup line with Sephora, inspired by Pantone’s 2012 color of the year, tangerine tango. I generally don’t wear much makeup, but this new collaboration might make me reconsider!”
Inspiration found here.
Rachel, one of our web designers:
“Print mix master Keren...
3 tags
From the Catalog: Beautiful Ballets
straight from the pages of our March Style Guide, here’s the inside scoop on our fabulous flats (they’re taking the streets by storm)
Impressive import: It’s no secret that we put our luxe Italian leather on a pedestal. (It’s simply the best.) But that’s not all: Our classic ballets also boast a cushioned insole and extra padding—little details that make all the difference.
Color story:...
3 tags
How to Wear Prints
our superstylist, Gayle, demystifies one of the season’s biggest trends—prints. read on for practical tips on how to
pull off the sometimes-tricky look with ease. and if you want
to get to know our style mastermind better,
click here
to see some of the things that rule her world.
WEAR PRINTS TOGETHER:
Classic colors, like red and navy, keep this look grounded—and all the shades...
3 tags
Real Ludlow Guys: Charles Renfro
he’s the architect behind the High Line, an avid reader of the New Yorker and the owner of some seriously colorful socks. check out our favorite answers from our current favorite Ludlow guy.
Charles’ Tools of the Trade: Sharpie markers, National Brand Laboratory notebook and ballpoint pen, Stanley tape measure, Hot Tamales, Stumptown Coffee and The New Yorker.
Charles Renfro
ARCHITECT...
3 tags
This Week’s Discovery:
Mougin & Piquard for J.Crew
Of all the things to come out of Switzerland (alpine skiing, the Army knife, Gruyère cheese), our favorite is by far the expertly made watch. Meet Swiss brand Mougin & Piquard (it’s pronounced mooj-awe and peek-are), which might just be the greatest watchmaker you’ve never heard of. Started by two Frenchmen in the 1920s and shuttered a half century later,...
3 tags
This Week’s Discovery:
the lemlem Elsa shirt
We adore lemlem, a collection started by model and International Goodwill Ambassador Liya Kebede as a way for weavers in her home country of Ethiopia to escape poverty. (Fittingly, lemlem means “to bloom” in Amharic.) “Our hope is to add diversity to the fashion market while creating prosperity in another,” Kebede says of these traditionally handwoven creations. Her style...
2 tags
Eye-openers
this week’s roundup of delightful discoveries
Alison, one of our web designers:
“I’m into these straightforward, bold designs by Dutch graphic design firm Stout/Kramer. In their projects, they always attempt to distinguish themselves as more than just designers—instead, they see themselves as editors and directors of communication.”
Inspiration found here.
Elissa, our photo...
2 tags
To the Point: Our No. 2 Pencil Skirt
here at 770, we are seriously pencil skirt-obsessed…
In an irresistible mix of colors, fabrics and prints, our No. 2 pencil skirt sharpens
the look of any outfit—instantly. Shop all our skirts here.
Since we hold a special place in our hearts for our No. 2 pencil skirt, we loved it when Matt, one of our web developers, brought in this step-by-step guide on hand filing your...
3 tags
This Week’s Discovery:
DODOcase for J.Crew
Finally, something for bookworms and tech geeks alike. Our accessories designer, Addi, spotted these handmade covers on a trip to California and a partnership was born. Crafted in San Francisco using classic bookbinding techniques and eco-friendly materials—including durable Moroccan cloth plus an interior bamboo tray—these covers are the perfect mix of old and new (and we...
3 tags
This Week’s Discovery:
the double-strand frog necklace
The animal kingdom has long dominated jewelry boxes—critter-studded baubles first grew popular in the 1890s as the Art Nouveau movement introduced fantastical dragonflies and serpents to vanities across Europe. In the next century, these retro gems reappeared on 1930s screen starlets in Hollywood. Fast-forward to spring 2012: Our designers resurrected this...
2 tags
Eye-openers
this week’s roundup of delightful discoveries
Julie, art director:
I’ve admired Keetra Dean Dixon’s work for a while—I love how poetic, smart and incredibly pretty it is. I got the chance to meet her a few years back and it was wonderful to find out she’s as sweet as her work!
Inspiration found here.
Catherine, one of our web designers:
“Who would think anything called Sandwich Art...
2 tags
Real Ludlow Guys: Jenke-Ahmed Tailly
we asked nine real guys to suit up in style in our Ludlow suit (and spill the beans on their style, inspirations and favorite pastimes).
here are our favorite answers from ultimate cool guy, Jenke…
Jenke-Ahmed Tailly
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
WHAT’S NINE-TO-FIVE LIKE FOR YOU?
I prefer five to nine.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A CREATIVE DIRECTOR?
Conceptualize and realize a dreamed sense of...
3 tags
Gayle’s Favorite Things
we asked our superstylist and in-house culture maven, Gayle, to tell us a few of her favorite things. and no, she didn’t sing them to us Sound of Music–style (we tried, we promise).
1. Ritter Sport chocolate
“My sustenance—I would live on this if I could.”
2. Glass cylinders
“Glassblowing was my absolute passion—I did it every weekend for eight years.”
3. 92nd Street Y
“My...
2 tags
On Location: Uruguay
our team traveled to the sun-drenched landscapes of southeast Uruguay to shoot our March catalog. here’s a sneak peek at what they got up to on set (warning: may cause serious wanderlust).
From top left:
1. No, it’s not a mini trampoline! We used a scrim—a screen made of thinly woven gauze material—to create the perfect light for each shot.
2. The office on wheels.
3. Our prop...
3 tags
This Week’s Discovery:
the Victura jacket
This spring, we’re giving yacht club culture a little street cred. Introducing our classic cotton canvas deck jacket, named after the sailboat that JFK skippered as a boy (a gift from his parents when he turned 15). The 26-foot vessel remained one of his most prized possessions right through his presidency (we can certainly imagine him navigating Nantucket Sound wearing...
3 tags
This Week’s Discovery:
the Talitha blouse in peacock paisley
The plot behind this paisley: Our shirt designer returned from a trip to India with a peacock-feather fixation. It’s the country’s national bird, so decorative interpretations of this centuries-old symbol of royalty and beauty are found everywhere. With vacation snapshots in hand, she enlisted our print illustrator (aka our in-house motif magician) to...
2 tags
Eye-openers
this week’s roundup of delightful discoveries
Elissa, our online photo editor:
“I’m currently obsessed with Buenos Aires–based artist Jazmin Berakha. She captures beautiful suspended moments in her embroidery—I especially love how the intricacy is contrasted by simplified outlines of women.”
Inspiration found here.
Jo, marketing creative:
“These riotously colorful and spontaneous...
4 tags
Behind the Scenes: J.Crew Collection
an exclusive peek at our most recent Collection shoot, courtesy of one of our superchic stylists
We took a brand-new approach with the film this time, shooting
each photo to resemble an old-fashioned Polaroid. Our prop
stylist complemented the vibe with midcentury pieces, which
I totally fell in love with. We also mixed in some still life shots
to beautifully balance our on-figure...
4 tags
Behind the Seams: How to Make a Prints Charming
we asked our in-house print master, David,
to walk us through how he makes his perfectly
pretty patterns
A print is born: The prints usually start out as actual drawings or paintings that vary in size from large canvases to tiny little laser-cut wood panels. We turn them into digital files, send them off and they return to us in the form of lovely fabric. We also design plenty of plaids...
3 tags
This Week’s Discovery:
Persol aviator sunglasses
Italian design at its finest. From James Bond to Thomas Crown, the long history of these iconic shades (introduced in 1917 to cater to pilots and sports drivers) includes some of the most stylish moments ever captured on-screen. Offscreen their appeal goes beyond their classic good looks. Persol, derived from per il sole or “for the sun,” is renowned for unrivaled...
3 tags
This Week’s Discovery:
Drakes London scarf
Drakes, the English company that’s been outfitting British gents in the finest handmade scarves since 1977, is now showing the ladies some love. Our accessories designer spotted a unique paisley print on a Drakes men’s pocket square and, declaring it a must-have motif for us dames, convinced them to create a scarf just for us. Fitting right in with the bright palette of...
2 tags
Eye-openers
this week’s roundup of delightful discoveries
Catherine, one of our web designers:
“These quilts from the Gee’s Bend quilt collective are functional art at its most beautiful. The color combinations are endless, the angles are irregular—and, in my opinion, they’re too lovely for practical use.”
Inspiration found here.
Katie, one of our men’s designers:
“A while back, I came across...
3 tags
Well-Suited: The Ludlow Shop at 50 Hudson
our newest men’s shop and dedicated home of the Ludlow suit is now open in NYC…
The sign of the times: our newest stand-alone suiting shop at 50 Hudson (and Thomas Street) in NYC’s trendy Tribeca neighborhood. (Who says suits have to be all buttoned-up?)
Divine inspiration: the mood board our visual design virtuosos used to tailor-make the old haberdashery feel of our new Ludlow...
